16.08.2018

The 2030 Agenda: a universal compass for a sustainable future

In Mexico, the people can decide how the sustainability strategy is implemented. The country benefits from Germany’s implementation experience.

The 2030 Agenda is a compass that points the way towards a sustainable future – for industrialised nations, developing countries and emerging economies alike. One of the key elements is the principle of universality, which requires all states, regardless of whether they are developed or developing countries, to devise their own strategy to implement the sustainable development agenda. All countries that commit themselves to the goals of the 2030 Agenda set their own individual priorities along the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

The Mexican President Peña Nieto presented the country's sustainability strategy to the public for discussion in June 2018. This approach translates the vision enshrined in the 2030 Agenda into Mexican policy. The strategy covers all policy areas, from poverty reduction to environmental protection. By adopting the strategy, Mexico has set itself ambitious sustainable development goals: In order to protect the climate and hence achieve Sustainable Development Goal 13, the roadmap stipulates the introduction of emissions trading to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, for example. Trading establishes a price for CO2, thus creating incentives for high-emission industries such as Mexico's cement and chemicals sectors to use lower-emission technologies and fuels.

Mexico benefits from Germany's implementation experience

On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is supporting the Mexican President's Office in establishing an implementation mechanism at national level. As part of a delegation visit to Germany, key German stakeholders, above all the Federal Chancellery and BMZ, convinced the Mexican partners of the benefits of a long-term strategy.

The country's population is also having a say in how Mexico implements the 2030 Agenda: Five regions located far away from the capital Mexico City took part in regional dialogue events to devise the new sustainability plan. More than 500 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and representatives from municipalities and the academic community attended the forums. This is an approach that Mexico and Germany have in common: In addition to the Federal German Government and the governments of the German states, NGOs and citizens were also involved in drawing up the 2016 version of Germany's Sustainability Strategy. Up to the end of July, all Mexicans were allowed to comment on the strategy. The final version will then be published towards the end of the year.

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